Ignition timing



Filed July 20, 1945 LEY, Ja., 5ML Epvm IGNITION TIE-.HMG

lNVEN-roRs GuyE. Baarn/slew Jr. @d Clarence M L aub/n @im July 2o, 1945 IQ. E. EEARDSLEY JR., HAL

XGXEETION TIMER@ 3 Sheatmmt 2 /06 INVENTORS Guy E eards /eg/,Jg

@Wd C/aren ce m Laub/ 'falfff ATTORNEY,

Filed July 20, 1945 Ads/ane@ G. EEARDLEY, mw Emu., @A

XGNITION TIMING INVENTORS Guy E. eardsly, Jr. @my C/arence W. .L aub/f7 Patented Dec; :14, 1948A UNITED STATES 2,456,042 IGNITION 'IIMING Guy E. Beardsley, Jr., West Hartford, and Clarence W. Laubin, Windsor, Conn., assignors to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn., a corporation ot Delaware Application July 20, 1945, Serial No. 806,127

` 1 12 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition timing means for engines, and .particularly for supercharged internal combustion aircraft engines.

An object of this invention is to provide improved means for gradually or continuously varying the spark advance of a spark ignition engine in a predetermined manner, in at least the cruising power portion of the engine operating range.

Another object is to provide means controlled by fluid -pressures in the inductionpassages of a supercharged aircraft engine for regulating the ignition timing oi the engine in an improved manner.

Another object is to provide an automatic spark advance control for aircraft engines which gives low spark advance for starting, idling, take-ofi, and high power conditions and which gives a, fully variable spark advance from lhigh spark advance in the cruising power range to low spark advance at maximum power, in accordance with a predetermined curve.

A further object is to provide a new and improved engine control mechanism, particularly adapted for regulating the ignition timing of a spark ignition internal combustion engine.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claims and from the accompanying drawings which illustrate what are now considered to Ibe'the preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing an aircraft engine ignition timing mechanism constructed according to this invention. In this figure the mechanism is shown in the engine idling, spark retarded, position.

Figs. 2 and 3 are partial sectional views of the adjustable portions of the magneto driving gear trains.

Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive are partial schematic views of the timing mechanism of Fig. 1, showing various operating positions thereof corresponding to various engine operating conditions.

Fig. 8 is a schematic view showing Ia modification of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 wherein the ignition timing is controlled solely by supercharger pressure rise, and I l Fig. 9 shows one form of timing chart that may be obtained with the apparatus of Fig. 8.

This invention is a modiilcation or improvement oi' the inventions disclosed and claimed in the applications of John S. Hasbrouck, Serial No. 469,931, tiled December 23, 1942, now Patent No. 2,390,146; Harold T. Jarvis, Serial No. 469,930, tiled December 23, 1942. now Patent No. 2,373,685;

(Cl. 12s-117) Wright A. Parkins et al., Serial No. 479,800, filed March 18, 1943, now Patent No. 2,390,166: and

Harold T. Jarvis, Serial No. 481,114, illed March 30, 1943, now Patent No. 2,380,967; all assigned to applicants assignee.`

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a portion i0 of an aircraft engine having radial aircooled cylinders, one of which is shown at l2, provided with spark plugs i4, l0.

Ignition current is supplied to the plugs by leads I0, 20 from magnetos 22, 24 whichy are driven by the engine crankshaft (not shown) through shafts 20, 20 and bevel gears 30, 32. The timing Vof the magnetos (or the time with respect to piston position at which ignition current is supplied to plugs i4, i8) may be simultaneously changed by moving bar tit lengthwise., which changes the angular position of cages 36, 38 (Figs. 2 and 3) to change the position of driven magneto gears 40, 42 with respect to the driving magneto gears 44 and 4&3. This vmechanism is more fully described in application Serial No. 469,931.

Engine i0 is supplied with charging air in a conventional-manner by the induction passage or intake manifold 50 and the'supercharger it. Air may be yadmitted to intake passage t0 either di rectly from the free airstream or from the outlet of an auxiliary stage supercharger, in a known.

manner.

The mass rate of flow of intake air through the passage tit to the engine cylinders is controlled by throttle 52 and is measured by a main venturi 56 and an auxiliary venturi 56. A scoop pressure chamber 58 around the larger venturi is subjected to impact pressure of the entering air4 or the total pressure ahead of the venturi) by impact tubes 60.' The smaller venturi has an opening 62 at its throat portion which subjects the throat chamber 64 to the pressure at the venturi throat. For any given density of the entering air, the pressure differential between the throat chamber 64 and the scoop chamber B0 will be a function of the intake mass air ilow, or the rate of flow by weight of intake air. In order to compensate this pressure diierenceefor varying densities, an altitude compensator 88 is provided which actuates the needle valve i0 in accordance with variations in the temperature and pressure of the entering air to vary the restriction of the passage 12. A bleed 'l5 connects passage l2 with a conduit t6, connected .to throat chamber 04. Thus, la very small ilow is permitted between these two chambers by the action of the laltitude compensator in an amount sumcient to compensate or modify these pressures so that the pressure differential between the conduits 81, 66 connected to the passage 12 and the throat chamber 84 is maintained as a. function of the intake air mass ilow, regardless of variations in temperature and pressure, or density, such as occur with variations in altitude. A manually operated by-pass valve 13 may be provided to eliminate the effect of the altitude compensator 68 when desired.

Intake air flowing through the venturi section of intake passage 50 passes to the inlet or throat of supercharger 14 and after being-compressed by -the supercharger, ilows 'through the diffuser section 16 to a collector rim or discharge volute 18 and then into the engine cylinders through induction pipes, one of which is shown at 80. The supercharger is driven at a speed dependent upon engine speed by the engine crankshaft through a speed increasing gear train (not shown)4 connected with the impeller drive shaft 11.

Ignition timing 'of the engine |0 is varied by a servo-motor |20, controlled by a device 88 connected at selected points with the induction passage 50.

Control device 86 has a housing 88 containing a flexible fluid-tight diaphragm 90 separating the housing into chambers 92, and 94. Chamber 82 is connected to scoop passage 12 by conduit 51.

- Chamber 94 is connected to one side of a cylinder 84 by a port 95. The other side of the cylinder is connected to throat chamber 64 by conduit 60 and to the supercharger inlet by conduit 82. The top of the cylinder 84 is also connected through a restricted vent 98 and branch line 99y to the conduit 68, and the cylinder contains a reversing piston valve biased upwardly by a coil spring |02. Piston, 00 has an annular groove or valve port |04 intermediate its ends and cylinder 84 is provided on its inner surfaces with a by-pass passage |06 which maintains communication between the fluid in conduit 82-and the lower side oi piston |00, regardless of piston position, so that the pressure on the lower side of the piston is always equal to the pressure vin the conduit 50 at the blower throat, at the point where conduit 82 is connected to passage 50.

Diaphragm 90 is connected to a rod I|0 which is urged to the left by a compression spring ||2. When there is no iiuid pressure differential acting on diaphragm 90 the diaphragm and the rod ||0 will be maintained in the extreme left-hand position by spring ||2. Similarly, valve piston |00 will be maintained in the extreme upper position by spring |02 when no iluid pressure differential is applied thereto.

Servo-motor |20, which moves the bar 34 to the right or left to change the ignition timing, comprises a piston |22 which actuates a piston rod having a left hand end |24 connected to bar 34. The other end |26 of the piston rod is pivoted at |28 to a lever |30 and the lever is secured by pin and slot connections at |32 to the diaphragm rod ||0 and at |314 to a split ring or collar |36. Collar |36 is mounted in an annular groove or recess in the bushing |38, which is slidable on the stem |40 of the servo valve |42 between limits determined by a left hand flange |44 on the stem and a light compression spring |46 acting between a flange |48 on the right hand end of the stem and the bushing |38.

Piston |22 is actuated by oil under pressure admitted through ports |50,' |52 to one or the other side of the piston. Oil is supplied to the pressure line |54 from the pressure's'ide of the engine lubricating system, or directly from an engine driven oil pump, and is admitted to one or the other of the ports |50, |52, depending upon the axial position of valve |42. As pressure oil is admitted` by the valve to the cylinder on one side of the piston, through one of the ports |50, |52, the oil is simultaneously permitted to drain from the other side of the piston through the other of theports |50, |52. Drain lines |58, |58 may be provided for receiving the drain oil. It desired, a flow restriction may be inserted in the pressure line |54, as shown in the drawings, to limit the rate of flow of the pressure oil.

The parts are so arranged that piston |22 will assume a position dependent upon the position of control rod |||ll when pressure oil is being control rod H0 ln'one direction will cause a displacement of the valve |42 in the opposite direction which will admit pressure oil to one side or the other of piston |22 and cause it to move in 'the same direction as the initial movement of rod H0. As piston |22 moves, however, it returns the valve |42 toits central or closed posi; tion and thus movement of piston |22 will be stopped after it has been displaced in an amount corresponding to the original displacement of control rod |l0. I

In operation of the system of Fig. 1, the timing device will assume the spark retarded position shown in Fig. 4 when the engine is dead, or is not being operated. In this engine condition no pressure differential exists between the lines 80, 8l and atmospheric pressure exists in line 82. The relatively strong compression spring |91 acting between ilange |00 on "the piston rod |28 and the end wall of the servo-motor |20 (see Fig. l) will return the piston |22 and bar -34 connected thereto to' the retarded timing position from any previous running position. The spark is therefore maintained in the full retarded position by spring |91 for starting purposes, even though diaphragm and control rod ||0 are held in their extreme left hand position by spring H2. Valve |42 will be held by springs |01, H2 in its extreme right hand position abutting stop |4I, with spring |46 partially compressed.

As soon as the engine is' started and is operated at idling speeds, a reduced pressure or suction is developed in the passage 50 between the partially closed throttle 52 and the supercharger inlet.

This reduced pressure is applied to the bottom of piston valve |00' by line 02 and slot |08 and causes the piston valve to compress spring |02 and move downwardlyl from the position shown in Fig. 4. Under idling conditions the pressure K in conduits 88, 90 is higher than'the pressure in line 82 and a pressure differential exists across piston valve |00 which is 'sulcient to move it downward to a position in which it abuts the stop |0|. In -this position, piston valve |00 connects chamber' 94 with conduit 82, by way of annular groot/e104 and port 86, thus establishing blower throat pressure in chamber 94. As the mass air ow to the engine is extremely small during idling conditions, the fluid pressure in both conduits 86 and 61 will be approximately equal to the pressure of the air entering the venturi section. The pressure at the blower throat and in diaphragm chamber 04 will be much lower and the resulting pressure difierential i` s sufficient to move diaphragm 80 to its extreme right-hand position against the action of spring H2. Thus, when the'engine is idling the control device 86 will assume the operative position showny in Fig. 1. Piston |22 and bar 34 will still be maintained in their full retard position by spring |91 and the main difference between the dead engine position of Fig'. 4 and the idling engine position of Fig. 1 resides in the shifting oi' the servo-valve |42 to its neutral or central operative position as the diaphragm 80 is moved over to the right against the action of spring H2.

As the throttle 52 is opened to increase the engine power output to the cruising power range, the pressure at the super-charger inlet 50 adjacent the connection with conduit 62 will increase, or in other words, the blower suction will drop.

Thus, the pressure on the bottom side of piston valve will become more nearly equal to the pressure applied by line 89 to the upper side of the piston valve, which pressure drops further and further below the pressure of the air enter-V ing the venturi as the rate of intake air flow increases. When the pressure differential between conduits 08 and 82 becomes sufficiently low, spring |02 causes piston valve |00 to rise to its extreme upper position, in which it connects line 66 with chamber 94 by way of groove |04 and port se and cuts oi the chamber 84 from conduit s2. Vent 98 and line 89 provide the reference lpressure on the upper side oi' the piston valve |00 when the piston valve is in its upper position. Spring |02 is so chosen as to enable the pressure differential between conduits 60, 82 to force the .piston valve downward against stop |0| when blower inlet pressure is atthe low value maintained under closed throttle or engine idling conditions.

||0 to their extreme left-hand position. This movement of rod |I|l actuates servo-valve |42 and thereby causes piston |22 to follow the movement of the diaphragm 80, until the piston is in its extreme left-handA position in which the bar 34 and the magnetos 22 and 24 are in their fully advanced timing position.

As the throttle 62 is still further opened to increase the mass air flow, thereby increasing the engine power output, the pressure differential between lines 66 and 61 and across diaphragm 90 increases in accordance with the increase in intake mass air flow and diaphragm 80 will be gradually forced to the right by this pressure diiere'ntial, against the action of the spring ||'2.4

lil

This spring is selected to have a strength and Fig. 6.h Fig?? shows the position for high engine tarded from the fully advanced position of Fig. 5

to the fully retarded position of Fig. 7 in accordance with each increase in enginepower.

Fig. 8 shows a modification of the sparked- Vance device shown in Figs. l to 7 in which the control is .obtained solely from the pressure rise across the supercharger, or the pressure difference between the intake adjacent the supercharger throat and th-e collector chamber 18.

In this modication, the control device com'- prises a cylinder 200 having a central partition 202 forming chambers 204 and 206 on opposite sides thereof within which are disposed fluidtight diaphragms 208 and 2|0. A rod 2|4 and a spacing sleeve l2||i connect these diaphragms and an extension 2|2 of the .rod projects from the cylinder 200 through one of its end closure members. Extension 2|2 is connected to control lever |00 of the servo-motor |20 in the same manner as rod ||0 of Fig. 1. Servo-motor |20 of Fig. 8 operates in the manner described above in connection with Fig. 1, to cause the piston |22, and therefore the timing bar 34 (not shown in Fig. 8) to follow the movements of control rod or extension 2|2.

Diaphragms 208 and 2|0 and the rods 2|2 and 2|4 are biased toward theirleft-hand position as shown in Fig. 8 by a coil spring 220 which at one end bears against a cup member or washer v ilxed to the diaphragm 208 and at its opposite end against a plate 222. The position of plate 222 may be adjusted by screw 224i threaded in the right-hand closure members of cylinder 200. to vary the pressure of spring 220. A lock nut 228 may be provided for screw 224.

The space at the right of diaphragm 208 in chamber 268 communicates with a conduit 228 leading through a projection 280 formed in the right-hand closure member. Conduit 228 connects with conduit 232 leading to the right-hand portion of a control cylinder 28d, within which piston valve 240 reciprocates. Space A within chamber 206 at the left of diaphragm 208 is con nected by conduit 238 to the left-hand portion of cylinder 234.

The space at the left of diaphragm 210 in chamber 204 is connected to'atmosphere by a restriction 258. Space B within chamber 204 at the right of diaphragm 2|0 is connected by conduit 236 to the intermediate portion of cylinder 234. Piston valve 240 in the cylinder A234 is biased to the left by spring 242,'one end of which bears against a surface of the piston valve 240 and the opposite end against the adjustable plate 244. To'I affect adjustment of spring 242 to vary the force it exerts on piston valve 240, a screw 248 is provided for moving plate 244. The screw may be locked by nut`246.

After piston valve 240 and spring 242 are assembled within the cylinder 234, the cylinder is sealed by an end plate 235 threaded theretoand in which the screw.246 is mounted. A gasket 231 forms a fluid tight joint between the cylinder land the end plate.

nected to atmosphere through groove 254 and opening 202, andconduit. 238 and space B are connected to blower throat line 232, 280 by groove 258. A restricted opening 258 to atmosphere is provided atthe left end of cylinder 234, so that the left hand end of piston valve 240 is always subjected to atmospheric pressure.

In the operation of Fig.4 8, the spring |91 on the servo piston rod |28 holds the piston |22 in' by lines 280, 232, thus enabling atmospheric pres# sure exerted on the opposite side of the valve to force it to the right against the force of spring 242 until it abuts the closure member 235. In this extreme right-hand position valve groove 254 ports conduit 238 and space A to atmosphere by way oi opening 252, and valve groove 250 ports conduit 238 and space B to blower throat suction, v

by way of conduits 232, 280. Both diaphragms 208, 2|0 now have atmospheric pressure exerted on their left-hand sides and blower throat suction on their right-hand sides. The spring 220 is so selected that the force exerted by the sum of these two pressure differentials is greater than the spring force and thev'diaphragms and control rod 2|2 are therefore moved to their extreme right-hand position, compressing spring 220. As piston |22' follows the movement of control rod 2|2, in the manner described in connection with Fig. 1, the piston will also be moved or maintained by oil pressure to its extreme right-hand position, in which the ignition timing is fully retarded. Thus, the spark will be maintained retarded under engine idling conditions as well as under engine starting conditions.

As engine power output is increased to the cruising range, blower throat pressure rises (or suction decreases). Spring 242 is so selected as to shift piston valve .240 to its extreme left-h-and position when the blower throat pressure, to which the right-hand side of the piston valve is subjected, increases to a predetermined value (for instance 9 Hg suction in some installations). In this. left hand position of piston valve 240, space B is ported to atmosphere by conduit 238, groove 250 and opening 252. Diaphragm 2I0 is therefore subjected to atmospheric -pressure on both sides and is consequently inactive. Space A, with piston valve 240 in its left-hand position, is connected to supercharger outlet pressure by conduit 238. groove 254 and conduit 262. As the right-hand side of diaphragm 208 is always subjected to blower throat pressure by passage 228, it will therefore be subjected to supercharger pressure rise whenever the piston valve 240 is in its left-hand position, which will be the case for all engine power outputs within or above the cruising power range, or in other words, whenever the 8 blower throat pressure isl above a predetermined value relative to atmospheric pressure. At low intake airfiows, or in the lower portion of the cruising power range, this pressure rise across dia;

4phragicn 208 is insutlicient to overcome the force of spring 220. Consequently, the diaphragm 208 and rod 2|2 will be moved to their extreme lefthand position, shifting the spark to fully advanced position.

As engine power is increased through and beyond the cruising power range, the supercharger pressure rise also increases, in accordance with increases in engine power. At some predetermined value of the blower rise, selected by the spring 220 (for instance 12.7".Hg rise) the pressure differential across diaphragm 208 is suiflcient to begin to move the diaphragm and con- 'trol rod 2|2 to the right, in the spark retarding direction. The diaphragm and control are then gradually or continuously moved fartherto'the right with each increase in blower rise (and engine power) until the fully retarded spark position is reached at high engine powers, with the control rod 2|2 and piston |22 in their extreme right hand position.

The action of the device in controlling ignition timing is graphically shown in Fig. 9, which shows the spark advance in degrees before top dead center in relation to blower throat suction and blower pressure rise. When the engine power output is within the idling range relatively high blower throat suction is exerted on both diaphragms 208, 2|0, overcoming the pressure of spring 220, and the spark will be maintained at about 15 before top dead center as indicated at 300. As the throttle is opened and the engine reaches the cruising range, blower throat suction decreases, the piston valve 240 is shifted to its leit hand position by spring 242 and the spark will be immediately advanced by spring 220 to about a 35 position as shown at 302 and 304. As

the throttle is further opened the spark will be Amaintained at the 35 position as indicated at 304 until the pressure rise across the supercharger, which is applied to diaphragm 208, becomes sufcient to overcome the force of spring 220 and then the amount of spark advance will be gradually reduced as this pressure differential moves the diaphragm 208 gradually to the right, at a rate determined by the characteristics of the spring 220, until the spark is again in the full retard position with the diaphragm in its right hand position. During this diaphragm movement the ignition timing is varied as shown by the portions 308, 308 of the chart.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments` herein i1- lustrated and described, but may be used in other ways without departure from the spirit of the invention as dened by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In ignition timing apparatus for an engine,

`means responsive to a pressure difference which at least a portion of the engine operating range.

3. In ignition timing apparatus for an engine having a supercharger, means responsive to the pressure rise directly across said supercharger. and means controlled by said pressure responsive means for gradually varying the ignition vtixning of said engine within at least 'a portion of the engine operating range. I

4. In an ignition timing system for an aircraft engine having an air intake passage. and a centrifugal blower in said passage, a throttle valve in said passage upstream oi vthe blower inlet, means responsive to an increase inthe iluld pressure in said passage between said throttle and said inlet for relatively rapidly advancing the" ignition timing of said engine, and means responsive to variations in a fluid pressure diilerence'between selected points in said intake passage for relatively slowly retarding the ignition timing of said engine.

5. The timing system of claim 4, in which said means for retarding thev ignition timing is responsive to the duid pressure diilerence between the inlet and outlet of said blower.

6. The timing system of claim 4, in which said means for retarding the ignition timing is responsive to a iluid pressure dierence created by a venturi in said intake passage.

7. An engine ignition timing apparatus comprising, a source of fluid pressure, valve means' 8. The apparatus of claim 7, including meanst for maintaining the ignition timing retardedwhen the fluid pressure from said source is below a predetermined value.

9. In combination with an aircraft engine, a supercharger therefor. an adjustable electrical ignition mechanism, and means connected to the inlet of said supercharger for adjusting said timing device to provide low spark advance in the lower power portion of the engine operating range and a fullyl variable spark advance in the higher 19 power portion of the engine operating range from high spark advance in the cruising power range to low spark advance at maximum power.

10. In combination with an engine having an adjustable ignition apparatus, an engine driven supercharger, an intake airflow measuring device for establishing a pressure head which is a measure of the rate of ilow by weight of engine intake air, a servo-motor for adjusting said. ignition apparatus, a iluid pressure responsive diaphragm for controlling said servo-motor, a pair of fluid chambers on opposite sides of said diaphragm, a valve having a ilrst position in which said chambers are subjected to said pressure head and a second position in which one of said chambers is subjected to the pressure of the airentering said supercharger, and means for moving said valve between said first and second positions.

l1. In combination with an engine having a throttle, a supercharger having an inlet controlled by said throttle, an adjustable electrical ignition apparatus, means including a pair of dia phragms for adjusting said apparatus, and valve means responsive to the fluid pressure at said inlet for subjecting one side of one of said diaphragms to either atmospheric pressure or to said inlet pressure in accordance with variations said inlet pressure.

12. The combination of claim 11. in which one REFERENCES CITED v The following 4reierences are of record in the ille oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Harrie Date l2,268,490 Mallory Dec. 30, 1941 2,365,768 i Mallory Deo. 26, 1944 2,377,566 Mallory June 5, 1945 2,383,898 Udale Aug. 28, 1945 

